On Thursday, Secretary R. James “Jim” Nicholson received the “Defender of the Faith” award from the Pave the Way Foundation. To name a few in attendance were, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Apostolic nuncio to the United States, John R. Drexel IV, KStJ, H.Em. William Cardinal Keeler, the Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore, Msgr. Peter J. Vaghi of the Church of the Little Flower, and others.Jim is the Senior Counsel for the law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, is the past Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was sworn into that office in February 2005 and served through September 2007. As Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Nicholson was the principal advocate for veterans in the U.S. government, ensuring that they received the care, support, recognition and dignity they deserve for their service to our country. As VA Secretary, Nicholson also directed the federal government’s second largest Cabinet Department, responsible for a nationwide system of hospitals, health care clinics, benefits programs, and national cemeteries for America’s twenty-five millions veterans. The VA employs over 240,000 people with a budget of approximately 100 billion dollars. Prior to serving in the Cabinet, Mr. Nicholson served as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See from 2001 to 2005. In January 1986, Mr. Nicholson was elected to be the Republican National Committeeman from Colorado. In 1993 he was elected vice-chairman of the RNC, and in January 1997 he was elected chairman of the RNC, where he served for four years, overseeing the elections of 2000, including the election of President George W. Bush.
The Pave the Way Foundation is dedicated to achieving peace by closing the gap in tolerance, education and the practical relations between religions, through cultural, technological and intellectual exchanges. They strive to eliminate the use of religion as a tool which, historically has been used, by some, to achieve personal agendas and to cause conflicts.
Our hats are off to Secretary Nicholson for receiving this award. Jim truly has been a defender of the faith throughout his entire life.
The Pave the Way Foundation is dedicated to achieving peace by closing the gap in tolerance, education and the practical relations between religions, through cultural, technological and intellectual exchanges. They strive to eliminate the use of religion as a tool which, historically has been used, by some, to achieve personal agendas and to cause conflicts.
Our hats are off to Secretary Nicholson for receiving this award. Jim truly has been a defender of the faith throughout his entire life.
